Neji vs. Sasuke

Author's note: FIGHT! Ha.

Rated M for sexy times between male character, swearing, drinking, and gore.

I don't own Naruto or anyone else though I wish I did. I am taking liberties with them and their universe.

The training grounds were empty when Neji lead Sasuke into them. Naruto, Kiba, and Lee stayed on the porch while Neji walked with Sasuke to the middle of the empty dirt field. Sasuke looked around with a little frown on his face.

"No witnesses, hm?" Sasuke said.

"Except for Naruto, Lee, Kiba, and Akamaru," Neji returned.

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and Neji his Byakugan.

"Fine by me," Sasuke said.

"It should not be," Neji told him.

Sasuke blinked, confused.

"If I happen to beat the ever-living Hell out of you on Hyuuga grounds the Hokage won't be able to do a thing about it even with witnesses. There's this no-tell rule when it comes to Hyuuga training grounds and what goes on in them," Neji explained.

Lee gulped. Kiba let out a breath and Naruto frowned. Sasuke scowled. Neji sunk into fighting stance and smirked.

"That's why your Uncle said it was fine," Sasuke said.

"No shit," Neji said.

He moved. Sasuke's eyes went wide and he lowered his hands to block what he thought would be body strikes. Neji wasn't considered a genius for nothing. Sasuke's eyes showed confusion when Neji aimed high. Sasuke understood a moment later but it was too late. Neji hit the tenketsu that controlled Sasuke's eyes and the Sharingan went out in both.

Sasuke jumped back and held the sides of his head in pain. Neji skidded to a stop a few feet away and smirked. Sasuke revealed pure black eyes and growled. Neji bit his tongue, felt the pain, and grinned. Sasuke's genjutsu wouldn't have worked on Neji's eyes so quickly but he wanted to make sure. Just to make doubly sure he sent out a blast of chakra to counter any genjutsu in the area. Oh no, Sasuke was not faking the loss of his Sharingan.

"What's wrong Sasuke? Are you nothing without your eyes?" Neji asked.

Lee, Naruto, and Kiba gaped when they realized what Neji had done. Sasuke came in, fast, but nowhere near as fast as Lee. Plus Sasuke no longer had genjutsu or any of the techniques he had learned with Sharingan. Sasuke hadn't fought without Sharingan in years. This fight was over and had barely started.

Neji easily blocked Sasuke's attack and countered by hitting four of Sasuke's tenketsu before Sasuke could get away. He winced but Neji smirked. Sasuke knew the fight was over but would not allow it to show, not yet. He had as much pride as Neji.

Sasuke released a fire ball out him but Neji sunk into the Revolving Palm, leaped out of it, and struck out with the Mountain Crusher. Sasuke was blown back through the fields but Neji teleported behind the Uchiha and grinned when he saw Sasuke had not bothered to make any kind of clone. What an arrogant idiot.

"Eight Trigrams Sixty-four Palms," Neji said.

He began the assault. Sasuke tried to get away but it was too late. The only thing that would stop Neji now was curry powder. Neji ended his attack, sending Sasuke flying half-way across the field, and stood in a relaxed position. Five minutes. Neji had beaten Uchiha Sasuke in five minutes.

Oh people would be talking about this tomorrow. The witnesses were three of the loudest shinobi in the village besides Ino. Sasuke didn't move. Neji hummed when Naruto gaped and shook his head in awe. Maybe Neji had been too rough.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto came running into the field and Neji scowled as Lee and Kiba went to the injured Uchiha. Neji strode over but stayed back a few feet. Sasuke had managed to sit up, held his ribs, and glared at Neji for all his worth.

"I did not close them off permanently nor did I use the full extent of the technique. You will be able to activate Sharingan and your other tenketsu in a few hours," Neji said.

Sasuke snarled at him.

"You lose, Sasuke. Remember: Hatomi does not exist," Neji told him.

Sasuke scowled but nodded. Neji shifted until he was squatting in front of Sasuke. He opened his eyes wide, Byakugan activated. Sometimes he liked having creepy ass white eyes. Naruto gulped. Lee gaped and Kiba frowned.

"And if you go back on your word then I will permanently disable the tenketsu going to your eyes. You will never be able to activate Sharingan again, understand?" Neji questioned.

Sasuke paled but nodded. Neji got to his feet and deactivated Byakugan. He strode around the fallen Uchiha but stopped before entering the compound, glancing over his shoulder as Naruto called Sasuke and idiot while helping him up. Naruto froze. Sasuke continued to glare.

"Strength comes from friendship, Uchiha and anyone who cannot understand that is not worthy of a Hyuuga or anyone in this village. Remember that," Neji said.

He left Sasuke in the training field and strode into the compound. Hiashi-sama joined him in the hallway and Neji had no choice but to go with Hiashi-sama into Hiashi-sama's office. Neji frowned when he was sealed inside and Hiashi-sama gave him a look.

"Now, I know I do not know all of the names of every clan member but I would think I would know Hatomi," Hiashi-sama said.

Neji let out a breath and sat in the chair across from his uncle. Hiashi-sama raised an eyebrow. Well, he had wanted to explain. He hadn't imagined it would be right after a fight with the Uchiha. Ah well.

"It might take a while but, ah," Neji said.

Hiashi-sama smirked.

"Oh I will not interrupt," Hiashi-sama said.

Neji let out breath and began from the sleep over at Sakura's that started this all. Hiashi-sama chuckled at Neji's punishment and almost laughed outright when Neji told him Sakura had made him wear a dress. Hiashi-sama raised an eyebrow when Neji mentioned the name Neji had used when he and Sakura left.

"You are Hatomi?" Hiashi-sama asked.

Neji flushed but nodded. Hiashi-sama blinked a few times, eyes wide, and jaw dropped. Neji quickly described how he was depressed about Kankuro not writing so today decided to go for a walk to clear his head. Since he did not want the pitying looks from everyone because everyone knew his situation (thanks to Ino) he had gone out as Hatomi. Neji detailed the Sasuke-stalking then the final confrontation then stopped.

"And that's why Sasuke came running into the compound like that," Neji said. "But I told him if I won he can't speak of Hatomi ever again, she doesn't exist so, well,"

Hiashi-sama kept staring at him and Neji had never thought he would see his uncle so stunned. Neji waited while Hiashi-sama blinked then shook his head as if to clear it. Damn. That image could have been worth millions of ryo. Too bad he hadn't had a camera on him.

"I don't know whether to laugh or smack you," Hiashi-sama said.

Neji gulped. Hiashi-sama did not kid about something so serious.

"I am completely fine with both," Neji said.

Hiashi-sama snorted and shook his head. He rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair with a little smirk on his face. Neji frowned.

"Technically Sakura started this all," Neji said. "I was innocently avoiding people in plain sight."

Hiashi-sama chuckled and sighed before leaning forward.

"I assume Hanabi and Hinata know?" Hiashi-sama asked.

Neji flushed but inclined his head. Hiashi-sama hummed and let out a breath. He grinned softly and Neji tried not to bite his lip or fiddle with anything.

"So long as Hatomi does not get the Hyuuga into any more trouble then enjoy yourself. I have to compliment you on your resourcefulness as well. That was absolutely brilliant. Oh, and you and I will be training later," Hiashi-sama said.

Neji winced but nodded. Hiashi-sama would not go easy on him but Neji did not mind. At least he would get a good fight out of the deal.

Neji did not want to leave his room the next day, Sunday, but decided he might as well see what kind of insanity Hatomi had unintentionally wrought. He ignored the pitying looks from the shinobi that knew him and some of the civilians and kept striding through the village, simply listening.

Damn Ino and her blabbermouth. She had a habit of telling her best customers (also huge gossips) about every couple who came to the shop which happened to be everyone. She got extra excited when the members of the couple purchased certain flowers and Neji had bought the flowers she especially talked about. Neji sighed and shook his head. He needed to be listening to the people around him.

"Hyuuga Neji beat Uchiha Sasuke in like five minutes flat. Uchiha didn't even land a hit!"

"Why'd they even fight?"

"Some Hyuuga girl, you know the really pretty one at the bar a couple weeks ago?"

"Oh yeah! Damn she was hot,"

"Yeah, her, apparently Uchiha kept pestering her and she said she didn't want to go out with him because of some stuff Neji-sama said so Uchiha went to find him,"

"Wow,"

"Yeah, Kiba-sama and Lee-sama talked all about it. Naruto-sama confirmed it and the Uchiha did in his own way,"

"That's insane. Five minutes though?"

"I mean we know Neji-sama's strong but damn, right?"

"I know?"

"I heard it only took him like two moves or something,"

"Yeah, he didn't even come close to wasting chakra,"

"I guess it means the Byakugan is better than the Sharingan,"

"I always thought that. I mean yeah cool, genjutsu and copying techniques but I'd rather x-ray vision and the ability to see chakra, see everyone around me for like 50 meters and not go blind from over using it, you know?"

"Yeah, I'd be okay with just the x-ray vision,"

"Pervert,"

Neji continued his walk and turned a corner. He froze, gulped, and tried to back-track but it was too late. Pink came flying at him and Neji could do nothing but wince when Sakura grabbed his right bicep and began dragging him somewhere.

Neji went along as best he could and did not even bother trying to explain as he was dragged. The people who did witness the strangeness of Haruno Sakura pulling Hyuuga Neji through the village were too stunned by the sight to offer help or even speak. Hell, even Naruto who spotted them after five blocks simply gaped and stared.

People also knew they wouldn't be able to detour Sakura. The person who could stop her (Tsunade-sama) wouldn't bother to stop her. Tsunade-sama would assume Sakura had a good reason for beating up whoever she beat up. Normally Neji agreed with Sakura's beatings. It figured he wouldn't when it would happen to him.

They cleared the village after a full half hour. Sakura's chakra infused stomping pace made everyone get out of her way and sped them up to an almost run. Neji felt the sensation of flying but spun and landed on his feet in training field one. Sakura came at him and Neji threw as much chakra as he could into his face before her fist hit his cheek.

The punch sent him flying through the air for seven yard. He landed and rolled for another two then stayed on his back looking up at the stars in the sky even though it was daytime. The pain leaked in a moment later and Neji winced. This made his face hurt more so he groaned and closed his eyes.

He felt Sakura coming towards him and the cool sensation of her Mystical Palm Technique washed over his face after a moment. Neji let out a breath through his nose and felt bone coming back together. Skin knitted into a whole piece again and loose teeth tightened. His nose straightened out with a pop and Neji tried not to whimper. She wasn't bothering to administer any kind of healing to stop the pain from being fixed.

"There, done," Sakura said.

Neji sat up and rubbed the now pain-free side of his face. His arms were still scraped up from the roll and his ass hurt from the fall but he wasn't going to complain. Sakura sat across from him, eyes narrowed, and fists clenching at her sides.

"If you must know I became Hatomi yesterday because I wanted a walk to clear my head but did not want to face any questions from people we know or the pitying looks from everyone Ino told about Kankuro sending me nothing after I gave him my heart. It is not my fault the Uchiha kept stalking me. I tried to get him to piss off and tried avoiding him but he kept tracking me down. And oh, I'm sorry, did you want me to lose so he could keep courting my female half and shave my head? I'll do that next time," Neji said.

Sakura opened her mouth, closed it then shook her head. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair before meeting his eyes. Neji said nothing as she brought her knees up to her chest, wrapped one arm around them and began picking at the grass with her free hand.

"I'm sorry," Neji said.

She smiled and sighed at him, still picking at the grass but at least meeting his eyes. Neji shifted until he sat in lotus position and wished he had the bear to cuddle. He had slept with it last night after getting his ass beaten by Hiashi-sama.

"It's okay. You did make Sasuke go into thinking-mode. Obviously you gave him a lot to think about," Sakura said.

"Hn,"

Sakura chuckled then stretched out her legs. She shifted so she sat in lotus position directly across from him then threw some grass into his lap. Neji raised an eyebrow at her and she grinned before moving so she sat behind him. She began running her fingers through his hair and Neji felt his shoulders relax.

"So, are you going to do that often?" Sakura asked.

"What?" Neji returned.

Her fingers were rubbing his scalp in a wonderful way and he could not concentrate well on her words.

"Go out as Hatomi," Sakura said.

Neji let out a breath.

"Hopefully not," Neji said.

Sakura giggled but kept massaging his scalp. Neji did not know how long they sat there nor did he care. His head had been bothering him all week. His eyes stung from crying before falling asleep and using Byakugan daily. His heart felt constricted and his stomach was wound in so many knots Neji had no idea how the little food he did eat could get through.

"You lost some weight," Sakura remarked.

"I've been depressed," Neji said.

"I know," Sakura told him.

She kept rubbing his scalp. Neji kept his eyes closed and leaned into her touch. He ignored the sting behind his eyelids of the tears wanting to fall and tightened his jaw. His hands went into fists on his lap and Neji wanted the waiting to be over. Two weeks. Two weeks today he had sent Kankuro a letter and a bouquet proclaiming his love and he had received nothing back from Suna.

Perhaps Neji should give up on trying to be in love and tell Hiashi-sama he was ready to take an arranged marriage to some distant cousin to further the Hyuuga line. He would never be happy in the marriage but it did not seem to matter.

"Sakura,"

Neji sighed and pushed down his irritation. Damn Sasuke and interrupting a great scalp massage. Sakura paused for a moment but kept rubbing. Neji opened his eyes a crack to watch as Sasuke approached.

"Sasuke, hey," Sakura said.

Neji did nothing as Sasuke started at him with a frown and a tight jaw. Sakura kept rubbing his scalp and Neji leaned a little further back into her touch. He scowled when Sasuke sat beside him and Sakura.

"I didn't know you and Neji were friends," Sasuke said.

"Good friends," Neji mentioned.

Sakura sighed and pushed a bit hard. He held back his wince but got her meaning. Apparently he was not to insult Sasuke in front of Sakura. Stupid Uchiha.

"We've been close for a while," Sakura said. "Closer this past month since one of his students will be an exceptional med-nin and we've been talking about a lot of stuff together."

Sasuke nodded and stared at Neji for a moment. Neji kept his mouth shut. Sakura was crazy in liking this bastard. She deserved so much better than the anti-social unemotional idiot Uchiha.

"Is it the hair?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura stopped moving her hands and Neji felt her fingers grow slack from shock. Neji blinked and turned his head to stare at Sasuke in wonder. The Uchiha was serious. Neji sighed and kept his laughter back.

"No," Neji said.

Sakura tensed her fingers in warning. Neji huffed but looked forward again mostly to ignore the Uchiha but he did want to be comfortable when Sakura did start rubbing his scalp again.

"Women like to talk about feelings and emotions which can be fun sometimes. I guess it helps I like men and Sakura was the only one around I felt I could trust when I needed someone to talk to. The hair helps because people like playing with it. It's soothing I guess," Neji said.

Sakura giggled. Sasuke frowned and narrowed his eyes slightly but not in anger. He looked confused. Neji raised an eyebrow when Sasuke took a bit of Neji's hair into one hand and let it run through his fingers.

"Perhaps you should open up more," Neji suggested.

Sasuke hummed and continued playing with Neji's hair. Neji frowned at the oddity but did not complain too much. Sakura had gone back to rubbing his scalp and he was starting to relax again. Neji stiffened when Sakura grabbed Sasuke's hand and put it on Neji's scalp, instructing the Uchiha in massaging.

Neji did not know how to feel about this. Sakura's hands were small but strong with long fingers and few calluses. Sasuke's hands were larger, broader, and he had calluses from training. His nails were short and somewhat prickly where Sakura kept her nails filed neatly as she dealt with touching people all the time.

Sasuke did apply firm pressure in little circles under Sakura's instruction. She went down to one hand then no hands as Sasuke got comfortable. After five minutes it was Sasuke giving Neji a scalp massage while Sakura giggled beside them.

"This is soothing," Sasuke muttered after a moment.

Neji sighed but decided not to argue. At least he was giving Sasuke a chance to be human. Neji still did not like the asshole but it would come with time. Neji half-closed his eyes as Sasuke continued to rub his scalp. Sakura kept an eye on the progress with a little flush on her cheeks and biting her lip while trying not to laugh.

"One of Neji's cousins said you like me," Sasuke said.

Sakura's blush deepened. Neji inwardly rolled his eyes. It had been obvious to everyone Sakura liked Sasuke. Gods she had admitted it to him to try and get him to stay in Konoha. Neji kept his mouth shut. The Uchiha did have Neji in a vulnerable position after all.

"I've liked you for years, Sasuke," Sakura said.

Neji pretended there was no conversation happening around him and Sasuke was a robot. Oddly it was not so difficult. Neji almost laughed at the mental imagery.

"I thought you had said all those things to make me stay not because you meant them," Sasuke said.

Neji inwardly gagged. Sakura chuckled and Neji caught her shaking her head. At least Sasuke had decent enough hands.

"I meant them, still do. I'd be happy to be with you and well, I've been waiting for you all this time," Sakura said.

Neji saw she was blushing. He sighed. Sasuke stopped rubbing Neji's scalp with one hand but kept the other tangled in Neji's hair. Neji blinked as Sasuke leaned towards Sakura and placed his lips over her. Neji rolled his eyes then yelped as Sasuke unintentionally tugged on Neji's hair trying to get his other hand free.

This stopped the kiss and both looked at him, Sakura with embarrassment, and Sasuke with a bit of annoyance on his face. Sakura detangled them and Neji stood and took two steps away before running his hand through his hair to tidy it. He wiped the scowl off his face and replaced it with a little smile.

"Good start, Sasuke. I'll leave you two alone," Neji said.

Sakura flushed and Sasuke nodded. Neji strode off and tucked his thumbs into his belt loops. Go figure. He had started to forget about Kankuro and had been relaxing but Sasuke had to interrupt. Ah well. At least Neji had helped Sakura get her dream man in some odd way. And as long as the bastard did not hurt her, Neji would try not to have a problem with him.

Reviews welcome, next chapter coming soon.

What, you really don't think Neji would disable a foe's dojutsu if he can? Come on now, he's not a genius for nothing. Plus I did check: there are charka points that flow to the eyes. In order to activate Sharingan and Byakugan: you need chakra going to the eyes. No chakra = no dojutsu.

Yes, I do understand Sasuke's a good shinobi without Sharingan as proved when he was a genin before it manifesting. But again, it's been years since Sasuke's fought without it. Neji's also a quick opponent, a person Sasuke can't take down without being able to "predict" his movements. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :P